GAHANNA - It has been a trying 12 months for Blake Reed, but the recent Gahanna Lincoln graduate is looking to the future with an extreme amount of optimism after a recent commitment to Ohio University.

“I’ve been to OU a couple of times, I’ve got friends there,” Reed said. “As soon as I got on campus I knew that’s where I wanted to be.”

But the path to Athens was a difficult one to say the least for the top-ranked uncommitted 2020 catcher when June of this year came around.

There was Tommy John Surgery last summer.

Come spring COVID-10 hit bringing the cancellation of his senior baseball season with the Golden Lions.

Then came the suspension of the 2021 campaign at Cuyahoga Community College where Reed had committed to back in February.

“Cuyahoga notified all their guys a month ago that the season was suspended, not cancelled,” Reed related. “They said if we want to play college baseball that finding another opportunity was the best decision to make and the coaches helped out. Coach (Evan) Agona did a great job of finding opportunities for me. JUCOs, D-1, D-II and D-III schools all reached out. After that It was up to me to find the best fit”

Happily for Reed, Ohio University was one of the colleges with an interest.

“That’s the school I’ve wanted to go to,” the 157th-rated 2020 in the state said. “It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I had talked with (OU assistant) coach (CJ) Wamsley before he went to the (Detroit) Tigers but that all fell through with the Cuyahoga commitment in February.”

Now Reed is headed to the Mid-American Conference school in another month.

“They like how I work behind the dish,” Reed said, pointing out his ability to make contact, hit the ball to the gaps and get timely hits are other areas of his game that impressed OU . “I’m fundamentally sound back there.

“I’ve been working a lot on my mechanics behind the plate. Over the past year I’ve improved my receiving, throwing and all that stuff. That’s something I’ve worked to improve on since I got back from Tommy John.”

Dealing with the injury was a major learning experience Reed admitted.

“Finding time for other things, like making better time in the weight room,” Reed said in reference to what he quickly learned after the setback. “It taught me to be a strong mental guy and that worse things can happen. It was a mind-changing experience and taught me a lot about myself that I didn’t know.”

What Reed has known for some time is that he had a desire for baseball to be part of his life as long as possible.

“I remember watching my teammates’ brothers go on to play baseball in college,” Reed reflected. “That’s been a dream of mine ever since, to find a place to go and play.”

Soon after, the possibility of competing at the next level started to become a reality.

“Once college coaches began reaching out at U15 it hit me that my dreams are coming true,” Reed noted. “I just had to take into account what place fits me best.”

Even Tommy John Surgery could not stop Reed, who admits not getting a chance to play at Cuyahoga was difficult on him.

“It was tough, I’d grown to love that place,” Reed explained. “I’d found guys to room with and to grow close relationships with … but finding a new opportunity is in the best interest for me now. But it’s been tough, just like it was tough finding out I wasn’t going to play my final year of high school.”

After all, there were big expectations at Gahanna Lincoln in 2020.

“I was heartbroken when I found out,” Reed said about no spring season. “This was going to be the last time playing with a bunch of guys I’d grown up with. Even though I wasn’t actually going to play (due to Tommy John), I was still going to be part of the team.”

Now the focus turns to his future at Ohio University.

“I think I can bring good leadership traits,” pointed out Reed, a 3.2 student planning on a major in business. “I feel I can make guys around me better mentally. I’m a hard worker that’s going to make everybody else better. Whether it’s helping out the pitchers or being a bullpen catcher, I’m going to make everyone a better person and better player.”

The tough past 12 months is not about to take away the positive attitude of Reed.

“I’m enjoying being back out there playing with Ohio Elite,” Reed said. “Even the games I don’t do well, I’m happy to just be out there playing baseball again.

“It’s great to get to play one last summer with these guys before we go our separate ways.”